Articles & Blogs
The Most Overlooked Step of the Engineering Design Process: In this article, an experienced STEM teacher shares her ideas about why the “Improve Step” of the Engineering Design Process is so important. She provides examples from her students who are designing ramps for model cars.
How to Integrate the Argumentation from Evidence Practice into Engineering Design: This brief shares the importance of supporting students as they collect and use data to help them decide what improvements to make as they redesign and iterate throughout the engineering design process.
Scaffolding for Failure, Helping Students Navigate Engineering Design Failure: In this article, the authors offer suggestions about preparing students for design failure and helping them respond to it when it occurs. Before starting engineering, they suggest having explicit discussions with students about fail words and their meanings.
Failing Forward: Managing Student Frustration During Engineering Design Projects: In this brief, the authors acknowledge that engineering design failures can lead to significant student frustration and discouragement. They provide advice to help educators manage and redirect students' frustration, so that students can "fail forward" and learn from their mistakes.
The Importance of Failure: This blog presents a list of ways you can teach kids the importance of and even how to celebrate the opportunity to learn from failure in engineering design.
Boost Learning by Combining Teamwork and STEM: This article discusses the importance of helping young people develop teamwork skills in afterschool settings, and the unique contribution that STEM activities can make. From engineering challenges to group investigations, many hands-on STEM investigations are ready-made team activities, and can help foster an atmosphere of collaboration.
Building Teamwork in STEM Classes: This article by Ann Jolly offers solid advice for teachers on how to increase the quality and effectiveness of collaborative group work. From setting clear goals and procedures to monitoring teamwork regularly, these tips will help teachers support students as they work together in teams and build their 21st Century skills.
Do My Student Engineers Have to Work in Teams? This blog highlights the importance of student collaboration while recognizing some of the difficulties young children might have working together. The blog outlines four simple tips to help incorporate collaboration in your engineering space.
The Importance of Developing a STEM Identity: This blog reports on research from CAISE outlining the advantages of developing a STEM identity in youth. Developing a science-related identity increases engagement and also increases the likelihood that students pursue a career in a science or STEM-related field.
Planning Considerations for Afterschool Professional Development: An article by Daniele Bradshaw (2015) that describes guidelines for effective professional development for afterschool staff.
Beyond the Webinar: Dynamic Online STEM Professional Development: An article by Brasili and Allen (2019) on strategies for engineering online professional development for staff.
What STEM Mindset Is … and Why Everyone Should Have One: This article describes how 21st century skills, growth mindset, and habits of mind all contribute to a STEM mindset.
Blog: Teacher Responses that Foster a STEM Mindset: This blog highlights the important role that teachers play in developing an engineering mindset in their students. How teachers respond to student questions can impact the way the students value themselves as learners.